'Crazy ants' reported in Florida

Crazy ants, which are known for their resistance to chemicals and their ability to multiply quickly, are invading the Gulf Coast, including Florida.

The invasive species, named for its non-linear movements, doesn't bite people, but it can starve out entire populations of fire ants.

Not that bad, right?

Wrong. Since each colony has multiple queens, the population spreads like wildfire. We're talking millions of ants littering people's yards and driving out other insects.

Take a look at this video recorded in Tampa last year. It shows millions of dead crazy ants piled on the ground.

"I've been in people's houses where they show me trash bags full of ants they've swept up," Robert Puckett, an associate research scientist at Texas A&M University, told Reuters.

The tiny critters like tight spaces, so they can cause infrastructure damage to vehicles, electrical equipment and even homes.

Of course they can be killed, but it'll take multiple applications of a variety of products to get the job done. Then, you'll be left sweeping up insect carcasses for who knows how long.

Good luck with that.

The species is native to South America and made its way to America in 2002. Reports originated in Texas, but since then the insects have spread to Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida, according to Reuters.

I'd like to think that Orlando is far enough inland to avoid the pest, but since the species is about four miles away from invading Alabama I really doubt that's the case.

Update: Orlando Sentinel reader Bobby Reynolds, who lives near UCF, found the engine of his Ford F-250 covered in ants this summer.

"I have been around engines my whole life and never seen ants on a engine before. As soon as the truck stalled I tried to restart it three or four time and popped the hood and saw hundred of ants on the engine, I said CRAZY ANTS," Reynolds wrote in an email.